Sick and Wicked

This past week I came down with a bad cold.  I was a hot mess.  It was not a pretty sight.  Maybe it was just a really mild flu or a pretty intense head cold, but either way it was not fun and kept me home most of last week.  I'm feeling much better now, however.  I'm just glad I could contribute to the sickness epidemic in America right now.  You're welcome, country.

Needless to say, it's been a pretty lazy weekend for me, full of resting and relaxing in an attempt to recuperate.  But that's not to say that this weekend lacked excitement.  Wicked!  Yes, I purchased Broadway show tickets for Wicked this weekend.

I know what you're thinking and no, I am not going to it alone.  A friend from college, Alexis, has been serving others in Bolivia for the past handful of months and is headed back to the States at the end of the month.  On her way home to Idaho, she has decided to grace me with presence here in NYC before she returns home.  So, to celebrate, we're going to see Wicked in a few weeks.  This is my first Broadway ever so I'm pretty pumped.  I'll me sure to tell you how it is.

Long Time No See - Church in NYC

Howdy all,

I spent Christmas and New Years in Ohio this year.  While I was there, it was brought to my attention that I haven't blogged in a rather long time...and she was right.  The last time I posted something was in May.  Egad, I'm such a slacker.  Instead of trying to catch everyone up on the past seven months of my life, I'm just going to start fresh, mostly because I'm lazy.  So, going forward, I plan on blogging more often but doing so in smaller posts.  Here's a small snippet of my life of late:

I've recently found a church home here in NYC.  It's taken me a good deal of searching, but it was worth the hunt.  Actually, it's more of a small group Bible study than a full-blown service.  But that will evolve in time.  This church is part of the brainchild of a pastor in Queens, Matt.  He recently moved to NYC to help a struggling LCMS church and plant satellite churches in each of the five boroughs.  The Bible study I've been attending is part of the framework for the satellite church in Manhattan. 

Like I said, there are only about 20 of us or so that meet but they are all pretty cool people, the majority of which are around my age.  It's been nice to really connect with fellow Christians who share my beliefs and values.  It's also been nice to be able to get in at the ground level, helping contribute to the growth of the Church.  In fact, a few of us guys from the group have started a bi-monthly Bible study.  I'm pretty excited about this and hope that it is successful. 

If you're interested in more information about this great thing happening in the big city, check out the sweet website Matt made for the church (see below for the link).  And, of course, prayers are appreciated, especially for Matt as he tries to build and grow not only the church in Queens, but also the satellite churches in the other boroughs.

Our Saviour NYC: http://www.our-saviour.org

Peace,
Ben

The Idiosyncrasies of New Yorkers

Am I a New Yorker?  Not really, no.  I haven't lived in the city long enough to transform into such a thing.  Yet, I do find myself slowly adopting some NY traits.  In a way, I kind of like the fact that I get annoyed when people talk on the subway or when a man with a golf umbrella walks down the sidewalk, oblivious to how big of a turd-nugget he's being.  I like the idea of fitting in, being a "local."  Yet, I also don't like a lot of the things I see myself beginning to do.  That's not me.  I don't want to lose my Midwest roots.  But, at the same time, I do.  To solve this problem, I've decided to become a hybrid of sorts, a mix between the two cultures.  It seems like the greenest thing I can do in this environmentally anal society.  I am a "Mid-Yorker."

Here are some other funny things I see New Yorkers regularly do.  I catch myself doing some of them too on occasion:

• Staring down the car that's waiting for the light to change when  you cross the street.  You're effectively letting the driver know, "Ha!  I have the right of way!  You have to wait.  Hahaha. Go honk yourself.
  
• As a mentioned above, giving evil looks at the jerk who uses a giant golf umbrella and takes up half of the sidewalk.  Either he's ignorant or just a boob.
• When a homeless person comes on the subway to ask for money, no one makes eye contact.  Even if the homeless person comes up to you and starts talking to you, you just ignore him.  It's just common curtsey to ignore hobos, don't cha know?
• Walking in NYC is like driving home in rush hour - cars (aka "people") everywhere.  Sometimes, people cut others off.  This usually elicits a cold, blood thirsty death stare at the back of the offender's head. I'm totally guilty of this one...the staring part.
• Making sure you're the first one on the subway car so you can be the first to grab any open seat, if there is one (which is rare).  
• Walking around everywhere with headphones in your ears.
• Smiling at people?  Bah!  This is New York.  People don't smile.
• Looking at tourists with disdain when they walk down the sidewalk shoulder to shoulder, unaware of the multitude of people behind them trying to get around them.  Poor etiquette.
• Personally, I am a stair person.  If I had to choose between the stairs and an escalator, I would choose stairs every time.  However, when I have to use the escalator, I expect people to stand to one side so that those who want to walk up the escalator can do so.  People rarely respect this unwritten rule
• "Do Not Cross" means squat here.  If there are no cars coming you can cross.  Heck, even if there are cars coming you can still cross.  They'll slow down.  You'll probably get a honk but honks are like cabs around here...everywhere.

What are some of the stereotypes you have of New Yorkers?  Are there any interesting traits or tics that make you laugh?  If so, share them!

Half a Year Living in NYC

Well, 6 months in NYC is fast approaching.  Soon, I will have lived here for half a year!  It’s strange to think about it, actually.  There’s a part of me that still hasn’t accepted the fact that NYC is my home.  I live here.  I work here.  I go shopping here.  Manhattan is my backyard.  Yet, I still find myself from time to time thinking, “Wait…I live in NYC!  That’s so cool of me.”  I forget that this is my home, and when I do remember, I get this “Ben-is-awesome” feeling.

Okay, so six months.  What do I have to say for myself?  For one thing, I’ve found that people (such as me) like lists.  So, I will compile my thoughts in a list for your reading pleasure.

• For there being so many people in NYC, it’s easy to feel alone and isolated.
• On the other hand, a brisk walk around Brooklyn or into Manhattan can do a lot to remove the “alone” feeling but not remove it.
• Work has come a long way.  My confidence has grown tremendously in what I do and my stress levels are much lower than my first few months.  After being thrown to the dogs around month three with a gigantic and overwhelming project, I think I’ve past the hump.  I can truly call myself an analyst now.
• Rent is still obnoxiously expensive.
• I love being able to see and spend time with my NJ cousins (Alonza and Cortez) and my aunt and uncle (Fred and Marina).  My last visit to NJ included various trips to Wal-Mart to play tag and hide-n-go seek.

• During the weekends, I find myself without a purpose.  While there’s plenty to do in the city, most of it lacks a certain amount of depth for me.  I’ve been looking for a hobby or something that can give me a goal/purpose and fulfill my desire for something more.  No luck so far.  Ideas?
• Regarding purpose, I just signed up for a Spring soccer coed league.  I’m waiting to hear back from the organization but I hope this will help some.  Soccer and exercise – there’s nothing better.
• Speaking of exercise, I’m looking forward to the warmer temperatures so I can run daily.
• While Sofy (my friend, for lack of a better title, from Costa Rica) and I only knew each other for a month or so in Costa Rica, she and I still talk multiple times a week on Skype.  Sometimes I wish she was here in NY with me.  That would certainly solve #1 above.
• I am flying to Detroit at the end of June for Mike’s wedding and to help Emily move out of her apartment (she’s going to Russia in July for three weeks!!).   

I really have a lot more to say but I’ve also found that lists, while enjoyed by many, also have their limit.  If they’re too long, people lose interest – a sad but true fact of life.

So, there you have it.  Six months of thoughts boiled down to a list of 10.

If you want to know more about my life here in NYC or if you have a question about something I’ve written above, let me know by posting a comment or sending me a Facebook message.

Yours truly,
Benjamin Gau, Urban Socialite

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things... in NYC

It’s been awhile since my last post.  Living and working in NYC keeps me pretty busy.  From exploring the secrets and wonders of Brooklyn and Manhattan to working the occasional late night at the office to running in Prospect Park, I find plenty of ways to fill my week and weekend with vast and new experiences.  For example, last weekend I watch the sun set behind the Statue of Liberty in Battery Park in Downtown Manhattan while doing crossword puzzles.  Such an amazing thing to actually be able to do whenever I feel like it.

During that time in Battery Park, I was able to reflect on some of the things I like about NYC and some of the things I do not like about living in the city.

Things I like about NYC:

• Being able to walk everywhere and not having to jump in the car to drive to the store.
• Similarly, having every single kind of store you could think of within walking distance or at least only a short subway ride away.
• People watching.  The diversity here is amazing.  36% of the current population of New York City was born outside the United States.
• Riding the subway.  The New York subway system is the largest mass transit system in the world with 468 stations and 842 miles of track.
• Having my own apartment.
• Budgeting my finances.
• Running in Prospect Park.
• Standing really close to the subway track as the train comes into the station and getting hit by the gust of wind from the train.  Hands down, this is one of my most favorite things about NYC.
• The people with which I work.
• Always knowing that I can have an adventure whenever I deem it necessary.  There is always something new to explore or try out here.
• Walking around
• The view from my office.  We’re on the 33^rd floor in Midtown Manhattan.
• How I have a “city” walking pace and a “non-city” walking pace.  When Ben is in “city” walking pace mode he walks very fast.
• Visiting the Klopfers in New Jersey and hanging out with my cousins Cortez and Alonza.

Things I do not like about NYC:

• The cost of rent.  Honestly, you know it’s high when someone says you’re getting a good deal for 350 square feet when you’re paying $1,300 a month.
• The way people view work.  Here work is life.  You live to work and you work a lot.  I’m not saying that working a lot is bad or that this view of work is bad.  Merely, the way people view work is a lot different than how I view/viewed work.
• Many people in NY are distant and “rough”.  But, generally, I guess people here are good at heart and you can tell.
• While I am probably still considered one of these, tourists are really bothersome.  Most are inconsiderate and not really observant of others around them.  Ignorant, I think, is the best way of describing them.  Plus, they’re everywhere especially now during the Christmas season.
• The cost of everything and the sales tax.
• The lack of good solid Christian churches that align with my beliefs around my neighborhood.
• Not having my immediate family nearby.
• When people pull a 180 while walking without first looking behind themselves and then proceeding to blame me for being in their way.  Something is amiss here.

There are many more things that I like/dislike about NYC but this list sums up many of the major ones.  If you’ve ever been to NYC or if you’ve ever lived here, what are some of the things YOU like/dislike about it?  I’m curious to hear what you have to say.

Where's Bruce Willis When You Need Him?

Boy do I have a story to tell you! 

So, last night, I left the office around 8:50pm or so.  It was a good night and I only stayed late and worked because I was in a groove.  I could have waited a bit longer for a cab (we get our cabs paid for if we work past 9pm) but I was all ready to go by that point and I decided to just take the subway because it wasn't too late.  Needless to say, I should have taken a cab...

On the subway, everything was going fine.  The usually stops were made at the stations in Manhattan on the way to Brooklyn. After we left the last stop in Manhattan we headed under the mouth of the East River toward Brooklyn.  About half way between the last stop in Manhattan and the first stop in Brooklyn, the train all of a sudden slowed and then stopped completely.  Honestly, this isn't too uncommon as there is sometimes train traffic ahead that backs other trains up.  So I was not concerned. 

However, after sitting there for only about 15 seconds, smoke started to fill the cabin of the car.  People started to get up and try to move to another car but there was smoke in the adjacent cars as well.  Granted, while there was smoke, it wasn't enough to put everyone into coughing spells.  Someone pressed the emergency talk button and told the conductor (I’m sure everyone was doing this simultaneously).  After about 5 minutes of smokey-cabin-car, the power to the AC was cut which helped stop the smoke from spreading.  The conductor came over the loud speaker (his English was terrible which didn't help things) and said that he did not know what happened and that he is going to try to find out what is causing the smoke.

Eventually, the smoke subsided some.  The conductor was tinkering around the outside of the train (not much room to move out there).  Also, remember that we were stopped somewhere under the mouth of the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn.  It was getting hot in the cars so the conductor would turn the air on for a bit and then turn it off so the smoke wouldn't start to spread again. 

I just listened to my iPod and read my book.  People didn’t know what to think.  Some were cracking jokes others tried to sleep some.  Even the most New Yorkish of the New Yorkers didn’t know what to make of the situation.  I felt especially bad for the Australian tourist lady who I doubt will ever come back to NY again.  There was also a crazy lady in our car who had to have had something messed up in her head because she was singing constantly to her disc-man (yes, a disc-man) and swearing at random things.  It was humorous and provided some break to the tension that had mounted in the car.

After about a 45 minutes of waiting with no idea of what was really happening, we were told in broken English amid a thick Jamaican accent that a 'rescue train' was going to back up to the rear of this train to take us back to Manhattan.  After another 45 minutes, the rescue train finally arrived.  We had to walk between all the cars (I was in the middle of the train) to get to the rescue train.  We passed about 5 firefighters with all their garb on, holding crowbars and axes (I bet they were disappointed that they didn’t have to use them).

After a slow 10 minute ride back to the Bowling Green Station in Manhattan, we were free of the confines of the subway car. There were even more firefights on the platform when we got off as well as cops, MTA officials, etc.  When I got to the street level, there were 8 firetrucks and a few ambulances (see short clip below).  It was quite the scene.  I then jumped on the R train and took it home.  Got in around 11:15pm.  It was a 2.5 hour commute home last night buy it certainly does make a good dinner-table story.  

Occupying Wall Street? ...Or Just My Air Mattress?

So, it’s been a good two weeks since I’ve posted anything.  What’s new and going on in Brooklyn you say?  Well, to say nothing would be an understatement, but I am much too lazy at the moment to write down everything in specific detail.  Therefore, I have resorted to making the list below.  The pictures that accompany each item are merely representational and meant to be humorous…well, sort of (besides that, the pictures serve no purpose).  Please partake:

·         I finally ordered a proper bed and some other furniture items (sleeping on an air mattress every night is risky business…POP!).

·         I started reading Kite Runner on my commute to and from work.  Reading on the subway is an art worth mastering.

·         After weeks of living without it, I have finally broken down and ordered Internet for my apartment.  It is to be installed this coming weekend.

·         I volunteered with a few others from my office this past weekend to help clean up a Brooklyn area middle school.  Turns out, not only has this school won national chess tournaments the past 12 years but also rapper/business mogul Shawn Carter (AKA Jay-Z) attended school there during his youth.

 

·         I opened up a checking/savings account with a local bank.  Yay institutions, right?  I think these Wall Street patrons agree too.

·         I finally installed curtains in my apartment.  I’m sure my neighbors are happy about that endeavor.

·         I attended a Manhattan LCMS church this Sunday.  Christianity isn’t so big here in NYC for many.  That’s just too bad.

Thank you Westboro Baptist...?

·         I’ve gone for many a morning run in Prospect Park before work.  I’m done running when it is still dark out…a little strange.

·         I got a library card.  Brooklyn library, consider your movie selection now my personal collection.

·         I did laundry at a local Laundromat.

·         And finally, I loitered the other day outside some store.  Oh Ben, you rebel you.  Hardy-har-har.

 Please add your commentary to my mal-placed photos.  Thank you.